Upholstery method



]June 11, 1935.

A. s. MlTHELL UPHOLSTERY mamon origm'al Filed Feb. 19, 195o 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 1.1, 1935. 'A. s. MrrcHELL UPHOLSTERY METHOD original Filed Feb. 19, 1930l Patented June ll, i935 UPHOLSTERY BHSTI'IOD` l Allister S. Mitchell, Detroit; Mich., assigner to National Automotive Fibres, Inc., Calif., a corporation of Delaware akland,

Original application February 19, 1930, Serial No. 429,708. Divided and this application March 5, 1931, Serial No. 520,360

13 claims. (C1. i12- 262) This invention relates particularly to a method of manufacturing upholstery, and more particularly to a novel mechanism and method for forming the seams of multi-pleat upholstery.

`The primary object is to provide an improved method which will facilitate the formation of seams in stued, multi-pleat, or pleated, upholstery. Upholstery of the kind described usually comprises a main or cover fabric, and a lining fabric united by parallel seams and divided thereby into pleat-fullnesses which are stuffed with batts.

The present application constitutes a division of my application, Serial No. 429,708, filed February 19, 1930.

The improved method for manufacturing upholstery -of the kind described is preferably practiced by employing a machine which embodies one form of the invention and comprises a frame having a vertically adjustable cross-head which carries a series of horizontally adjustable sewing-heads equipped with sewing-needles; looperbars which co-operate with the sewing-needles to form chain-stitch seams in nested seamridges, formed in the main, or cover, and lining fabrics of the upholstery, the stitches passing through two thickness of one fabric and through a single thickness of the other; mechanism for feeding the'main, or cover, and lining fabrics continuously through the machine; mechanism for advancing cotton-batts through themachine between the cover and lining fabrics, the feeding means for the batts being stopped at intervals to space the batts between adjacent sections of the upholstery which are to be severed from each other; pneumatic means co-acting with ridgebars for forming the seam-ridges and intervening depressed pleats, or pipes, in the cover fabrics; means including creaser-bars for forming the seam-ridges in the lining fabric; and driving means whereby a cyclic operation of the machine is obtained.

The sewing-heads 'of the machine, which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and which embodies the present invention, are not provided with looper-needles in accordance with the construction employed in the co-pending application of Allister S. Mitchell, Serial Nos. 347,935 and 427,205, filed March 18, 1929, and Feb. 10, 1930, respectively.4 Instead, there are provided looper-bars, or needles, actuated and supported by mechanism which is disposed between the paths along which the lining fabric and the batts are advanced to the sewing-heads, housing members being provided for the looperbars and arranged so that they provide spaces between the batts and the lining fabric wherein the looper-bars travel in substantially elliptical paths and co-operate with the sewing-needles.

The housing membersfor the looper-bars are carried by the lining-creasers and their *upper surface guide portions of the lining-fabric .in such manner that a single thickness thereof is united with two thicknesses of the cover fabric at each seam.

The forward ends of 'the ridge-bars for forming the ridge-seams in the cover fabric are'pre'ferably provided with tipsfwhich are readilyreplaceable in the event they are broken or deformed during the operation of the machine.

The invention is illustrated in apreferred'embodiment inthe accompanying drawings, "in which:-

Fig. 1 is a broken longitudinal verticalsecti'onal view of an upholstery-making machine embodying the invention; Fig. 2, an enlarged broken plan View of the forward end of one ofthe ridge-'bars provided for forming seam-ridges inthe cover fabric; Fig.A 3, abroken vertical sectional View taken'as indicated at line Sfof Fig. 2; Fig. y4, a broken vertical sectional view showing the looper-bar taken as indicated at line l of Fig. 13; Fig. 5, a perspective view (partly lbrolren'and partly in section) of a ridge-seam and the pleatl fullnesses or outer side ofit, the looperbar and sewing-needle being shown 'to illustrate the manner in which they cooperate to secure, or unite, one thickness of lining fabric with two thicknesses of cover fabric;v Fig. 6, a broken longitudinal vertical sectional `view-showing the arrangement of the 'lining-creasers, the looper-bars and their housings, andthe means for actuating the looper-bars; Fig. 7, a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing the looper-bar housing in section and the cover-plate for the looper-bar actuating means removed; Fig. 8, a broken plan view of one of the looper-bars; Fig.` 9, a plan view of one of the housing members provided for the `looper-bars; Fig. 10, a broken rear elevational View of a suspension for one of the looper bars; Fig. 11, a broken plan sectional view taken as indicated at line ll of Fig. 6; Fig. 12, a front elevational view of a lining-creaser, ridge-bar, looper-bar, and looper-bar housing; and Fig. 11.3, a broken front vertical sectional view taken as indicated at line I3 of Fig. l, showing the construction of the sewing-heads and the manner in which Athe sewing operations are performed, a cross-bar supporting the sewing-heads having been omitted to permit illustration of the yformnaled in said brackets,

ing rolls which engage the outer surfaces of the lining fabric.

In the embodiment selected for illustrating the invention, A designates the main frame of a machine which is equipped near its front end with a vertically adjustable cross-head A', the frame being provided with members A2 and A3; B, a suction conveyor device mounted in the bed of the machine and adjustably supported on the crossmembers A2 and A3, said conveyor having associated therewith ridge-bars B which serve to produce seam-ridgesjin the main fabric; C, a series of sewing mechanisms mounted on '-the cross-head A' and laterally adjustable thereon to enable the width of the pleats to be varied, the sewing mechanisms beingactuated by a common shaft C D, D', a pair of feed-rolls through which the upholstery is delivered from the machine; E, a forming roll disposed back of and carried by the lower portion of the adjustable cross-head A'; said forming roll comprising 1ongitudinally adjustable frustro-conical rollers or collars. E' forming grooves` through which the ridge-bars B extend;r F, a series of liningcreasers adjustably mounted on a transverse bar F' carriedby the bed; G, G', a main pair of batt-feeding rolls; H, H', an auxiliary pair of batt-feeding rolls, these rolls being periodically arrested to cause severance of the batts; J, a shearing device upon which the batts are severed when the auxiliary rolls H and H are stopped;

vK, a deflector roll whose function is to direct the batts between the rolls G and G when the feed is resumed; L, the main cover or finish fabric, which is led over the suction conveyor B to ride on the ridge-bars B; M, lining fabric being led vdownwardly and forwardly in the manner shown; N, the strip of batting being led through the feed rolls G and G-; andP, an endless conveyor which carries the batts tothe auxiliary feed rolls, having its front portion supported on standards P mounted onthe machine.

The above described mechanisms are driven in timed relation in substantially the same manner and have the same functions as shown and described in the above co-pending applications and, therefore, need not be described in detail in this application.

However, the function of the shaft C differs somewhat from the function of the corresponding shaft shown and described in the last mentioned co-pending application, as in the present invention4 the sewing mechanisms C do not include looper-needles and means for actuating them, although in all other respects the sewing mecha- `nisms C are preferably identical in construction ,andl operation with similar mechanisms shown and described in the last mentioned co-pending application.

It may be mentioned that the sewing mechanisms Care pivotally suspended from brackets i i which are adjustably mounted on the cross-head A and that the actuating shaft C' is also jour- The sewing-needles are designated I8. They are actuated by levers |8fL whichv swing in a transversev plane. The sewing `thread is designated |810.

-In machines embodying the present invention, thelooper-needles are preferably supported and operated independently of,k the sewing-mechanisms C, although they are actuated in synchronism. The looper-needle, shown in Fig. '7, associated with each sewing-head is designated I9 and is preferablyformed integral or attached to a looper-bar` |90 disposed Within .a housing member |90 extending parallel to the shaft |911.

|96. The looper-needle thread is designated |91.

As best shown in Figs. 6 and "I, the housing members 90 are preferably formed integral with, or rigidlysecured to the lining-creasers F, and each looper-bar |53a has its back end slidably journaled in a block |53d connected by a link |90 to a lug |9f depending from the transverse bar F. A lever i9g isprovided for each looper-bar I9EL and rone endthereof is pivotally connected to the ylooper-bar, the lever i9g being fixed to a shaft |9h extending transversely and positioned above the liningcreasers F. The shaft l 911 is provided with a lever |91 operatively connected by an adjustable arm |9m withan eccentric I9n actuated by a shaft Obviously, when the shaft |90 is rotated, the eccentric I9n will oscillate the shaft |911 to reciprocate the looper-bars |90. through the medium of the levers |90.

|90 designates a series of eccentrics mounted upon and actuated by the shaft l 90, each eccentric |9p being operatively connected with a looper-bar |90 by an arm |95. Each arm |90 is provided with a pin I9t engaging a slot I9V inthe associated looper-bar. when the shaft |90 is rotated, the looper-bars I9?L will be actuated in such manner that the looperneedles 9 will travel in substantially elliptical paths.

It will be noted that the shafts |911 and positioned intermediate the paths along which the lining fabric and the cotton-batts travel to the sewing mechanisms C.

The lever I9g and the arm I9,s project through relatively wide shallow grooves |9X formed in side surfaces of the lining-creasers F, thefgrooves I9X being provided with cover-plates lily (see Figs. '7

and. 11) v As'the fabrics move through the machine, the lining fabric M has formed therein seam-ridges 2U (see Figs. 5 and 13), and the main fabric L has formed therein U-shape seam-ridges 2| which become nested with the seam-ridges 2U. Each seam-ridge 2i] formed in the lining fabric M com- -prises a substantially flat seam portion 29a positioned adjacent and in contact with one Wall or leg ofthe associated seam-ridge 2|, formed in the main fabric L. The sections or pleats of the lining fabric M that lie between the seam portions 200 are designated 280 and are held at an angle to the main fabric L Iduring the sewing operation. As best shown in Fig. 13, each section 2Gb extends from the upper edge of a seam portion 2lin to the bottom edge of the adjacent seam portion 20e. The lining fabric M is shaped in this manner by the forming-roll E and by laterally adjustable shoes 22 carried by the cross-head A. When the lining fabric M is disposed in this manner with respect to the main fabric L, it is obvious that the sewing-needles I8 will each pass through a single thickness of the lining fabric andl through two thicknesses of the main fabric. (As shown, the forward ends of the housing members I9c are substantially triangular in cross-section and are arranged in such manner that they hold thev cotton-batts space-d from the seam-ridges and prowvide spaces wherein the sewing-needles i8 may cooperate with the looper-needles I9 without becoming entangled with the batts, a Wall of each housing member being vapertured to permit passage of the associated sewing-needle therethrough. Y l

In the sewing operation, each sewing-needle and its associated looper-needle cooperates -to produce ya double thread chain-stitch, Whichis The arrangement is such that i |90 are bar A2.

Ilfamiliar-1y known-1in theitr-ade .as a chain `lock fstitc The looper-th-read Hlb advances to the le-operneedle :throughsa vgroove'23 provided in the associated '-li-ning-creaser v-F, 'the looper-thread vbeing withdrawnfrom a spool '2li mounted on the stand- 'ard P. From the groove 23, the -lo-oper-thread passes through `a groove 25 cut in the upper surface of theilooper-ba'r, the thread being yretained i-n the groeve by pins 25a `(see Fig. 8) extending transversely oi -the groove. From the groove 25, the looper-thread passes through holes i255 and 2t drilled lin l'the forward end of the Yloo'per-bar and then through a hole '28 drilled in the forward 4end of the looper-needle (see Fig. 4). The looperneedle i9 is formed by providing a U-shaped end lat the forward vend of the looper-bar, the vconstruction being ,such that the forward end of the looper-needie points in the opposite direction `to that in which the forward end of the looper-bar points.

The sewing-thread lb is preferably advanced to the sewing-needle I8 -in the same manner as 'it is advanced t-o the corresponding sewing-needle shown and described in the last-mentioned copending application, the sewing-thread being vtrained through a hole vdrilled in the forward end of the sewing needle.

The mechanism in advance `of the liningcreasers F for advancing the lining and main fabrics, andthe cotton-batts, and the mechanism Iin advance of the lining creasers F for forming seam-'ridges `and intervening Apleat-fullnesses in the main, .or cover, fabric are substantially identical-with similar mechanisms shown and described in the last mentioned Aco-pending application and need not be described in detail.

'The liningA creasers F, the forming roll E' and the forward ends of Vthe ridge-bars B are of different construction and must be described in more detail.

The suction conveyor B (Fig. 1) comprises a hollow rectangular frame y3i! which is open at its top and is connected to an exhaust pipe '3 I; and 39a. a foram-inous belt which passes about rollers 3".21 and 53E journaled .in the .frame-,"the belt being arranged to travel over the open .top of the frame.

The suction pipe it! connects with the intake .portion of .a fan or blower and is operated by an independent motor.. not shown.

The ridge-bars B .extend .through grooves yformed between the vadjustable shoes 22 carried by the .cross-head A. At their forward ends, the ridge-bars B are provided with replaceable tips .32 which `t-in-slots 33 vcut .through `the 'ridge-bars (see Figs. 2 and .3), the tips l.32 having notches 33 through which the sewing-needles I8 travel. The ridge-bars B are preferably T-shaped .in cross-section 4and their .forward ends are connected for lateral adjustment upo-n the cross- Screws 3d, provide means for rigidly securing the tips 32 in the slots 33 (see Fig. 2). This construction is advantageous as it permits the tips to be readily replaced if they are broken or deformed during the operation of they machine.

The lining creasers F are disposed over the ridge-bars B and are provided with Y-shaped portions 35 at their back ends, which portions have upper inclined surfaces 35a for guiding the edges of the batts onto inclined surfaces |92 formed upon the housing members ISC and upon inclined surfaces 35h formed on the sides of the lining-creasers F opposite to the sides thereof to which the housing members I9c are secured (see Figs. 6, 7 and 12). These surfaces I9Z and 35b serve to 'properly y'guice the "batts as they .appreach the iforming-roll 'The lining-creasers 'are-'also-iprovided with beveled front edges 35a Whioh-extendinto the grooves 36 of the formingroll E.

Fig. yi8-il-lustiates'the forming-roll E, the sewing-heads C 'and vthe shoes 22 in their function- Vallyoperative-p'ositions with respect to the ridgebars B. When the forming-roll E is in its functionally operative position with respect vto the ridge-bars B', eaoh'of the rollers E depresses the batt passi-ng vunderneath it so that one :edge `ofthe batt is urged 'downward to 'engagea cam surface 31 pro-videdupon the associated housing member 'Hic and :is further depressed thereby so 'that it will ride along the lower .surface of the housing member ('.s'ee'Figsl 6, `A9 and 13). The remaining portion/of the top surface of each vbatt is 'held depressed between the .ridge-bars B by the associated roller E', and the associated shoe 22 which has an -inclined lower surface, conforming rto the taper of the .roller El.

The operation vof the machine may :be described briefly: Assumingapartial vacuum obtainsin "the suction conveyor through the action of a blower, `this 'conveyor operates. to feed the main, or cover, fabric 4"through the machine and form it into 'seam-portions and intervening pleatfullnesses, the main, or cover,fabric being properly gathered' and shaped over the ridge-bars B by the suction exerted through the belt-tta. The batts are carried bythe batt-conveyor P to the auxiliary batt-feeding-rolls H and H', `from which .the batts pass over the shearing device J and thence through the main batt-feeding rolls G and G. 38 ,preparatorily formed therein in vpassing over spaced collars, not shown. These .seam-ridges persist, morel or less, until they encounter the creasers F which direct them properly into the grooves of the forming-rolls E. In passingbe- .tween the .forming-roll and the pneumatic conveyor, lthe seam-ridges of the two fabrics 'become properlynested andthe .batts become properly .positioned in the .pleats as vthey areformed.y The ,seams pass underneath lthe .sewing-mechanisms,

.feed-rolls D .and.D, which `are-preferably geared to speed slightly lfaster than Athe .other feed dcvices. .The .batts .are severed at intervals-.by the The lining fabric M has seam-ridges' severing .device J .in .a manner more fully de- .subsequentlysevered .at the `same .points to divide .the upholstery .into units.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitation should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.`

What I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In the manufacture of pleated upholstery, the steps which comprise: feeding. fabrics and batts with batts disposed between the fabrics, forming seam-portions in the fabrics, holding each. batt spaced from one side of a seam-portion to provide interior sewing spaces, and engaging loops of the sewing thread with looper thread loops formed in said sewing spaces.

2. In the manufacture of pleated upholstery,

the steps comprising: advancing a lining fabric, advancing a main fabric and employing fluid pressure to form seam-ridges therein, each seamridge including two thicknesses of said main fabric, and uniting said lining fabric to said seamridges by stitches extending through one thickness solely of said lining fabric and through said two thicknesses of main fabric in said seamridges.

3. A method as specified in claim 2, characterized by passing the sewing thread through the fabrics and engaging the loops of the sewing thread with a looper thread lying between the fabrics. l

4. In the manufacture of pleated upholstery, the step which comprise: advancing a lining fabric and a main fabric, subjecting one of said fabrics to uid pressure as it advances to form seam-ridges and intervening pleat-fullnesses therein, uniting said fabrics by stitches of a sewing thread passed therethrough from the outer side of one of them, and.v engaging loops formed in said sewing thread by loops of a looper thread lying between the fabrics.

5. In the manufacture of pleated upholstery, the steps whichcomprise: feeding fabrics and batting with the batting disposed between the fabrics, forminga plurality of `longitudinally extending seam-portions, holding the batting spaced from one side of the seam-portion to provide interior sewing spaces, forming loops of sewing threadand engaging said loops with looper thread loops formed in said sewing spaces.

6 In the manufacture of pleated upholstery, the steps which comprise: feeding fabrics and bats with the bats disposed between the fabrics, forming seam-portions in the fabrics, holding each bat spaced fromV one side of a seam-portion to provide interior sewing spaces, and simultaneously sewing the fabrics to each other between the batsby passing the sewing thread through the fabrics, forming loops of sewing thread and engaging said loops with looper thread loops formed insaid sewing spaces.

7. In the manufacture of pleated upholstery, the steps which comprise: advancing a lining fabric and a main fabric with bats disposed therebetween, forming seam-ridges between the bats, then uniting said fabrics by stitches of a sewing thread passed therethrough from the outer side of one of them and engaging loops formed in said sewing thread by loops of a looper thread lying between the fabrics.

8. In the manufacture of pleated upholstery,

I the steps which comprise: advancing a lining fabric and a main fabric with bats disposed therebetween, subjecting one of saidA fabrics to fluid pressure as it advancesv to form seam-ridges between the bats, uniting said fabrics by stitches of a sewing thread passedtherethrough from the ,outer side of one` of them, and engaging loops formed in said sewing thread by loops of a looper thread lying between the fabrics.

9. The method. of forming upholstery which comprises feeding two sheets of fabric into superimposed relationship,` locating a plurality of stitch forming instrumentalities inpspaced rela- .tion including ,loopers positioned between said sheets, and causing said instrumentalities to sew said sheets together along spaced lines so that the lines of stitching are completed between the sheets by said loopers. i

l0. The method of forming upholstery which comprises feedingV two sheets of fabric-into superimposed relationship, forrning a series of parallel folds in one of said sheets, locating stitchforming instrumentalities in operative relation to said folds including loopers positioned between said sheets, and ,causing said instrumentalities to sew said folds to the other sheetsothat the lines of stitching are completed between the sheets by said loopers. y

11. The method of forming upholstery which comprises feeding two sheets of fabric into superimposed relationship, feeding a plurality of strips of padding material between said sheets, locating in spaced relation a plurality of stitch-forming instrumentalities including loopers positioned between said sheets and `between said padding strips, and causing said instrumentalities to sew said sheets together along parallel lines between said padding strips-so that the lines of stitching are completed between the sheets by said loopers.

12. The method of forming upholstery which l comprises feeding two sheets of fabric into superimposed relationship, feeding parallel strips of padding material between said sheets, forming a series of parallel folds in one of said sheets between said padding strips, locating stitch-forming instrumentalities in operative relation to 'said folds, said instrumentalities including loopers positioned between said sheets, and causing said instrumentalities to sew said folds to the other sheet so that the lines of stitching are completed between the sheets by said loopers.

13,. The method of forming upholstery which comprises feeding two sheets of fabric into superimposed relationship, forming a series of parallel folds in one of. said sheets,A guiding the other sheet into engagement with said folds, locating a plurality of stitch-forming instrumentalities in operative relation to said folds, said instrumentalities including loopers positioned between said sheets, and causing said instrumentalities to sew said sheets together along said folds so that the lines of stitching extend through both thicknesses of said folds and through one thickness only of the other sheet andare completed between the sheets by said loopers.

I vALLISTER. S. MITCHELL. 

